GMO labeling will undermine trust

By Jeff Williams, Commentary

Published 3:26 pm, Friday, March 14, 2014

Getting food to the plates of New Yorkers and those beyond our borders is the work and passion of the members. From those who produce the highest quality seeds, to those who nurture the seeds into food and feed products, to those who feed and care for animals that provide everything from meat to yogurt, our organizations represent the diverse spectrum of the agriculture industry in New York state.

Nearly a quarter of the land in our state is used for agriculture. Our industries employ tens of thousands of New Yorkers and bring in billions of dollars in revenue and taxes. There is nothing more important to us as an industry than the public's trust and understanding.

That is why we feel strongly the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms will undermine that trust and cause confusion and a negative financial impact for the farmers, producers and consumers.

Labeling food can hurt farmers with increased production and distribution costs.

In addition to increased costs, food companies could reduce the number of products available for purchase. This would be especially detrimental to people in rural and urban settings where availability and cost is already an issue. Labeling could further impact these marketplaces with higher costs and fewer products.

Modifying seeds has gone on for thousands of years. Our members take pride in producing the best products. Mandatory labeling will harm our industry and threaten the bottom line of farmers, producers and consumers across New York.